An agricultural combine is a machine used to harvest a variety of crops from a field. During a harvesting operation, a corn header assembly at the front of the combine cuts ripened crop from the field. Row dividers direct rows of corn stalks to ear separation chambers or stripping plates and then to an auger. The auger advances the crop towards the vehicle centerline. A feederhouse supporting the corn header assembly transfers the crop material into the combine by way of a conveyor such as an elevator assembly. Processing machinery such as threshing and separating assemblies within the combine further separate, clean and/or transfer the grain for storage.
During harvesting operations, ears of corn hit various parts of the header profile as it is being harvested. This hitting of the ears of corn on these parts cause a degree of shelling, butt shelling, or threshing of the grain from the cob. The grain that gets threshed due to impact is easily lost due to the transport methods that are used to move the grain to the combine, e.g., shelled grain can pass through the plates to the stalk rolls of a row unit and onto the ground.
As such, there is still a need for a header that prevents or hinders the loss of grain during harvesting operations. The present invention addresses the foregoing issues of conventional corn headers.